Science Fiction series. Mutant powers. People develop powers (not all are useful) after some kind of event. Non-mutant character called Hiram? Not XMen. Read in 1980s.

[Peter]

Set in the US, this series of novels is about people that develop ‘powers’ after some kind of event. Some of these powers are useful, akin to superpowers, but other mutations are useless or worse. (I recall someone mutated into a puddle?).

One of the non-mutant characters is called Hiram maybe.

Similar in theme to xmen, but it’s not that.

I read it maybe in the early to mid-80s

[Genesistrine]

The Wild Cards series?

[Kris]

Here's a Google Books preview of Genesistrine's suggestion Wild Cards (1986) by George R.R. Martin (editor):

https://books.google.com/books?id=jXS... Expanded version. There are different cover images.

[Kris]

Is this series for adults or teens?

I added some details to the header/ topic title. Feel free to edit it.

[Justanotherbiblophile]

Hiram Worchester is in a number of wildcards novels (ie: fairly important).